A day with Manual

 A  day with Manual was written in 1999 and was published in 2003.The story involves a search by Sanpo, a heavenly character for ten good men and during the course of the journey he explains the book of Genesis and certain other portion of the Bible to his companion, Litha. The story underlines the importance of the teaching of Jesus, love your neighbour as yourself.
It also deviates from old belief when it says that Cain and Abel are not Adam’s children. If not
Adam’s whose children are they? Genesis 4:1(King James Bible) states ‘And Adam knew his
wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, ‘I have gotten a man from the LORD’. Didn’t
the Heavenly Father know what he was talking when he told the book of Genesis to Moses? Or is Bible a mythological book that doesn’t deserve to be looked so closely?
Further Genesis 5:1-3 states ‘This [is] the book of generations of Adam. In the day that God
created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat [a son] in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth.’ Why are the names of Cain and Abel missing in the Books of generations of Adam?
(Read chapter 2 of A day with Manual for more details)
If a drastic change has to be induced in mankind it is easier to reduce mankind to a bare
minimum, incorporate the change and then rebuild the numbers from the changed ones. At the
time of Noah the number of people was reduced to a minimum and was again rebuilt. There are instances like this in the book of Genesis and we can see that each generation was better than  ones. Now how is the theory of evolution different from the Gospel?
Chapters 2, 6 and 11 are notable as those chapters deal with the Bible

The importance of believing

On examining the last words of the two evildoers, crucified on the left and right of Christ, we can assume that they knew him beforehand. The first one would have believed Jesus to be the Savior and the Lord. When Jesus, whom he thought to be the Almighty, was crucified, his hopes were dashed. The Son of God couldn’t rise up to his expectations!  He didn’t know that it was man’s duty to rise up to God’s expectations and not vice versa. He said in despair, if you’re Christ save yourself and us.  He, who had believed in the Lord until then, failed in the moment of tribulation. He denied the lord and proved himself unworthy. His name was removed from the Book of life.

The second one would have been indulging in sins without remorse till then. However, in the moment of distress and suffering he believed in the Lord and scolded his friend: Are you not afraid of God, seeing that you are in the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds;  but this man has done nothing amiss. Repenting, he asked the Lord for forgiveness.  He said to Jesus, Lord remember me when you come in your Kingdom. Jesus, ever ready to receive the repenting Prodigal son, accepted him wholeheartedly and told him the most precious words that could be heard in a lifetime: Today you shall be with me in paradise. Even his disciples weren’t given such a sound promise.

During the moments of tribulation that is awaiting us, may the cause be the tempters or the evil thoughts that proceed out of our hearts adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit,  lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, fear, pride, anger, foolishness – will the Son of Man find faith on earth when he comes in the clouds of heaven at an hour that none of us is aware of?  That day, that which fall on man like a snare, is the time to prove whether we have laid our foundation on rock so that it stand firm when the rain lashes, wind blows and flood comes against it or whether we stand on sand so that we are broken up at the first signs of tribulation. Will we deny the Lord like the first evildoer or will we associate ourselves with him like the second one – our salvation depends on this. Mathew 24:13 says he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Synopsis

Luke 8:17 says For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest: neither any thing hid, that shall not be known, and come  abroad.  Yet many things in the scripture are not revealed to us. For eg:

1.Is Cain the son of Adam or God?

2.Didn’t God, the omniscient and omnipresent know when Satan was tempting Adam? Why didn’t he stop Satan?

3.Why did the God destroy the world during the time of Noah when he knew that man’s heart was filled with evil thoughts from childhood?

4.Was Satan outcast by Jehovah? If so, why did he let his son be tested by him?

5.Who took heaven by force during the time of John the Baptist & why? (Ref: Matt.11:12) 6.How could Jesus give the responsibility to lead his sheep to Peter who had denied him thrice?

7.Why did Jesus, the upholder of peace, ask Peter to    take up sword before he gave himself as a prisoner?

8.Who tore the vail of the temple when Jesus gave up his soul?

This book is for people who are curious to know more about the scripture. It will quench your thirst for the truth and will help you to understand our Lord’s love better. Also, this is a thrilling story of a Spirit that proceeds from the Holy Father on the lookout for ten men, living in righteousness. Will he be able to find them?

Are you capable of being elected as one among them?  If not, repent and turn to a new leaf. Be as innocent and humble as a child to make yourself worthy. For, truly the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

Footnote

In 2021 when I look around what I see is the fulfilment of the last section of the Book, A day with Manual. The numerous diseases, the natural calamities, the hardships faced by mankind; all these are mentioned as Signs in the Bible also.